Fitzroy Square

Fitzroy Square is the only Georgian square in the district of Fitzrovia, and its name actually inspired the neighborhood's modern identity. While it stands as a monument to refined eighteenth-century architecture, it was originally a speculative project by the first Baron Southampton to attract the aristocracy. The construction was so ambitious that it hit a thirty-year delay due to the economic instability of the Napoleonic Wars. This gap left the square looking unfinished for decades, creating a strange mix of materials where the initial east and south sides were built with expensive Portland stone, while the later north and west sides were finished in more economical stucco.